By Steve Rhodes
Ironies continue to abound in the fight over Dan Hynes’s use of Harold Washington in a campaign ad attacking Pat Quinn. But the chief irony Quinn’s supporters don’t seem to recognize is that Quinn is the one attacking Harold Washington.
Quinn maintained then, and apparently does now, that he was fired as Washington’s revenue director because he wouldn’t do any favors for Friends of Harold. He accused the Washington administration of being corrupt. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. As far as I can tell, Quinn never named names. (A further irony given that he’s attacking Hynes for not going after Burr Oak wrongdoers.)
A question for Quinn: Who sought illicit favors from you? Did you report them to authorities? Did Washington know? Then why did he fire you?
I’m not defending Washington; I’d say there’s a 50-50 chance Quinn’s allegations were/are true. But don’t parade noxious racemonger Bobby Rush around and say that Dan Hynes is the one besmirching Washington’s legacy.
And we all know the Burr Oak slurs Quinn’s campaign is launching at Hynes are designed to increase angry black turnout in support of Quinn. Who’s giving the okee-dokee to who?
Also worth considering:
“There’s one political old-timer whose wisdom, even in death, is as relevant today as 22 years ago,” Laura Washington writes today. “Back then, I was privileged to serve as a spokeswoman for Mayor Harold Washington. Forever eloquent, Washington knew exactly what he was saying in that long-ago interview about firing Gov. Quinn. He meant every unequivocal word of it, and then some.
“Washington doesn’t need to be rescued by craven politicians who feign outrage at that brilliant Dan Hynes campaign ad. The cynical rush by the pols to protect Washington’s name is a fig leaf for protecting the benefits of incumbency.
“Like Quinn, Dan Hynes is an imperfect candidate. But that ad was not racist. It was right.”
And if you have any doubts about who Quinn has turned into, consider this news delivered by Rich Miller on Friday:
“Pat Quinn sought and received the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party, then his campaign borrowed $250,000 from Ald. Ed Burke, and now he’s endorsing Joe Berrios for Assessor. The transmogrification is complete.”
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As I’ve written before, I’m not for Hynes either, but he’s clearly the better choice if you feel compelled to vote in the Democratic primary. I object to Hynes’s misleading ads about Quinn’s tax plan – calling a 1 percent hike on some people’s taxes a hike of 50 percent is disingenuous – and Quinn’s early release snafu, which was an administrative blunder and which Quinn hemmed and hawed on unlike the straight shooter he presents himself as, but it’s also a bit of sensationalistic exploitation.
Nonetheless, Hynes exudes competency while Quinn exudes foolishness.
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For more campaign news, see Primary Notes. Late tonight or early tomorrow morning we’ll post our voters guide.
That’s Monique!
“Disputed ‘Defiance’ Back At Chicago State.”
But Monique Davis says she doesn’t know how.
Character Reference
“[Federal judge David] Hamilton also viewed the letters on Vrdolyak’s behalf positively, saying he was ‘impressed by a surprising volume of information showing the defendant’s character was very different from his public image in the media’.”
A) And “Fast Eddie” refers to Vrdolyak’s foot speed.
B) Brian Urlacher was a particularly valid observer to give a character reference
C) This man is a federal judge?
Fast Nick
“A longtime suburban Democratic Party powerbroker, [former Niles Mayor Nick] Blase admitted to taking $421,000 in kickbacks from businesses,” the Sun-Times reports. “Blase used his elected office to pressure local businesses into buying high-priced insurance from Ralph Weiner & Associates of Wheeling. Blase had a hidden stake in the company.
“Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Collins said Blase pocketed kickbacks for more than three decades from business owners who, at times, were outright threatened by Blase, who was also the liquor commissioner.”
For more than three decades. And we’re expected to believe Blase is really sorry?
U.S. District Judge Wayne Andersen sentenced Blase to a-year-and-a-day, meaning he could be out in 10 months. Prosecutors wanted four-and-a-half years.
Ten months just might have been worth it.
Three Faces of Evil
The Grammys, Ticketmaster, and Ozzy.
TV News 101
And we’re not just joking. We want you to stop it.
Bears Break
“So the way I understand it, just about everyone believes the Bears have totally screwed up their search for an offensive coordinator because a decisive team would have made the call by now,” our very own Jim Coffman writes in SportsMonday. “Really?”
Coach Coffman thinks not.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Fade to black.
Posted on February 1, 2010